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Paving project to begin in July on Washington Avenue

CHILLICOTHE – A street paving project on Washington Avenue is set to begin in July that will complete a series of improvements that first began about six years ago, according to the city.

City Engineer Tom Day said Monday that the city plans to award a contract soon for the street work on Washington Avenue from Watt Street to Jackson Avenue, which will be paid through a $60,000 federal Housing and Urban Development block grant.

Officials first received a HUD block grant in 2009 that brought street paving, gutter and sidewalk improvements to a half-block between Adams and Washington avenues, Day said.

At least three other grants were obtained, one of which resulted in additional work being done to a quarter of the block, while another allowed the city to extend its storm sewer on Washington Avenue, Day said.

The upcoming monthlong project estimated to cost about $54,000 will result in 780 feet worth of new pavement and will finalize the work being done in the area.

The remaining money from the income-based grant will be used as contingency funds as needed.

"That whole area will have a whole lot better conditions than it ever has," Day said.

Day also said the work that has occurred through the years has boosted the infrastructure of the area, noting that "the overall look of the neighborhood will have improved" as well.

Residents in Chillicothe passed a 0.2 percentage point income tax levy for streets improvements in November that Day said will allow the city to perform similar projects such as the upcoming work on Washington Avenue on an annual basis.

"We have some leeway in how we can get some things done and how we can get some repairs done ahead of the actual repaving of the street," Day said.

The city won't begin collecting money for the 10-year levy until January. It is expected to bring in about $1.4 million each year.